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Iraq: Campaign to support the courageous demonstrations by students at Basra University in Iraq

Source:

Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq

Since March 15th there have been massive and courageous student demonstrations in the southern Iraqi city of Basra against the notorious Islamist gang led by Moqtada al-Sadr.

The students anger and outrage are a direct response to the a brutal attack on a student outing from the Engineering faculty of Basra university, in which al-Sadr’s thugs aided by Iranian agents started beating up the students and destroying their belongings, as well as ripping off the clothes of female students and singling out in particular one young Christian woman.

The students fought back and, when a male student tried to defend his female friend, he was shot dead. The authorities, meanwhile, have turned a blind eye.

As a result, the students of this faculty have been joined by many other faculties and high schools and thousands of other Basra citizens on the streets. Despite the threats of al-Sadr and tribal groups in the environs of the city demanding that the students issue an apology for insulting Islam or face bombardment of their university, the protest is growing and has generated a lot of support among the people, particularly young people. Since the war, Basra has been dominated by Islamist groups backed by the Iranian regime. By demonstrating against al-Sadr’s repression, the students are taking a lead in fighting back against the Islamists for freedom and democratic rights.

We call on all student groups, workers, organizations and progressive campaigners to join our campaign to defend the student movement in Iraq and its fight for freedom, equality and secularism. The Basra students need international solidarity urgently to win this battle.

We demand separation of religion from the state and from education

We demand unconditional freedom of speech, association and protest for students-and for all Iraqis.

We want the Islamists criminals to be brought to justice.

We hold the British troops responsible ignoring the barbarisms of political Islamists in Basra.

We demand that armed militias of political parties are banned from university campuses.

We hold the “so called” Iraqi police responsible for ignoring this Islamist repression.

We urge you to show solidarity add your name and the name of your organization to this appeal.